Strategy: Managing Internal Communication

Course Outline

Programme: Day 1

Key issues in managing internal communications

• Leadership and listening
• Priorities and quantity
• Processes and systems
• In person and at a distance
• Digital technology as a support
• Honesty and trust
• Consistency and persistence

You have understood the people: now get a system in place

• Communications strategy
• Communications planning
• The development process
• Critical success factors
• Assessing your needs
• Best practices

Putting it all together: integrated employee communications

• Roles and responsibilities
• Tools of the trade: the internal communications mix
• Integration with investor and customer communications
• Managing expectations and generating feedback
• Case histories and recent examples

Finding and using the corporate story in internal communications

• Why the story ?
• The story as a corporate tool
• All stories, including corporate stories, are people stories, not product or service stories
• Fundamental story structure
• Structuring and using the corporate story

The listening organisation: hearing what employees want to say

• What are the business benefits?
• How do I overcome the barriers?
• Culture and systems for dialogue
• How do I measure the impact?

Measuring effectiveness

• Getting value out of measurement
• What to measure - designing measures to support business goals
• Tools and techniques
• Using results to create powerful action plans
• Case study examples

Internal Communications: Cabbages and Kings

Tales of highly successful internal communications strategies - and less successful strategies - and what we can learn from them.An interactive session that asks delegates to judge the hits and misses

Programme: Day 2

Introduction to day two and The Story update

• Issues arising from day one
• Completed scenario for The Story
• Division into teams for breakout work for The Story

Not letting the tail wag the dog: leadership in managing internal communications

• Engaging top management
• The relationship between top managers and internal communications professionals: can you say what you think?
• Communications as integral to the business process
• The balance between visible leadership and systems
• What trust means

The Story:working in teams

Delegates working in teams to develop and work through the scenario; testing their powers of imagination and teamwork

The Story:working as a group

• Feedback from teams
• Discussion and debate over options
• Delegates prioritise options

The Story:What we might have done if this was our project Keeping it fresh: creativity in corporate communications

• Basics of creativity
• Creativity and personality, and the impact on personal style
• How to be creative in devising communications strategies and plans
• Six techniques for creativity - any place, any time

The changing role of communication

• Change and innovation - how to thrive instead of just coping
• The future of internal communication
• Winning commitment and buy-in in an ever-changing world
• Quick wins that help you to 'set your stall out'

Strategy: Managing Internal Communication / ST-MIC